Why It’s Worth It | Ever notice how some people seem to glide through challenges while others get stuck in anxiety spirals? Here’s what’s fascinating: confidence isn’t about being fearless or delusionally optimistic. It’s actually a learnable skill rooted in brain chemistry that can make us literally healthier, smarter, and more persuasive. Dan Harris sits down with neuroscientist Ian Robertson to explore how confidence works in our brains and, more importantly, how we can build it without becoming insufferable.

Dan and Ian dig into what confidence actually means (no, it’s not about chest-thumping!) Ian breaks the science of confidence into two essential beliefs: “can do” (we’re capable) and “can happen” (this action will work). When these align, something remarkable happens in our brains: dopamine increases, anxiety drops, and suddenly we’re taking action. Dan, playing devil’s advocate, brings up his “defensive pessimism” with his new business. Ian reframes this entirely: it’s not pessimism, it’s strategic goal-setting. Apparently, our brains treat anticipated success as if it’s already happened.

Then they reveal this eye-opening finding: Oscar winners live four years longer than nominees. Four years! That’s the equivalent health benefit of curing all cancer. And even more curiously, it’s not about the money (e.g., that Oscar winners tend to be more affluent because they aren’t necessarily); instead, it’s about being lifted out of the competitive rat race, freed from the constant anxiety of others’ judgment. Dan shares his wrist tattoo that reminds him that his work is “for the benefit of all beings.” Sure, it sounds earnest, but it works by elevating him above the validation trap we all recognize.

The conversation turns practical when Ian shares his presentation strategy. Rather than fixating on that one person frowning or scrolling their phone, he looks at engaged faces. We’re essentially curating our brain’s input. Dan connects this to his panic disorder (he famously had a panic attack on live TV) and how exposure therapy taught him to face fears incrementally, not all at once.

Ian introduces four A’s for building confidence: attention (controlling our focus), action (doing things despite uncertainty), attitude to failure (viewing it as data, not disaster), and attitude to ourselves (embracing growth over fixed mindsets). Here’s what’s brilliant: anxiety and excitement create identical physical sensations, such as a racing heart and sweaty palms. The only difference? How we label them. 

They also examine confidence’s shadow side—how unconstrained power breeds delusional narcissism. Consider Caesar declaring himself a demigod while still alive. Then there’s how stereotypes undermine confidence: If we’re battling internalized messages like “women are bad at math,” that mental effort steals cognitive resources from the actual doing of math. The antidote? Distance ourselves from confidence saboteurs and spend time writing (or other means that promote a practice of attention) about our values. It might sound like self-help fluff, but brain imaging shows this practice literally calms our amygdala.

Background | In this episode, Dan Harris hosts Ian Robertson, professor emeritus at Trinity College Dublin and founding director of Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, whose latest book, How Confidence Works, synthesizes decades of research on the brain science of self-belief. Key takeaways include:

• The can do/can happen formula: Confidence requires both beliefs, that we’re capable AND that our actions will produce results. When both align, our brains reward us with dopamine, enhancing both intelligence and influence.
• Curate attention: During stressful moments, deliberately seek neutral or positive signals. We’re not in denial; we’re strategically managing our brain’s threat detection system.
• Anxiety equals excitement: Identical physical symptoms, different interpretation. Telling ourselves “I’m excited” before challenging events transforms our performance. 
• Focus on our response: When we can’t control outcomes, set goals for our own behavior. Managing ourselves well in difficult situations builds confidence regardless of external results.
• Values as anchors: Writing about what matters to us for just minutes creates psychological armor. It grounds our ego in something larger, generating a miniature “Oscar effect.”
• Progress through small steps: Take action toward meaningful goals that stretch without overwhelming us. Success accumulates exponentially, a phenomenon that Ian calls “the winner effect.”
• Learn from setbacks: Failure teaches more than success, but only when we engage constructively. Replace “I’m bad at this” thinking with “I’m developing this skill.”

About | Dan Harris is a former national news reporter who turned to meditation to manage the stressors of a high-pressure on-air career. A self-dubbed “fidgety skeptic,” he brings a practical perspective to a seemingly abstract practice. Dan currently hosts the 10% Happier (TPH) podcast, which delivers conversations with meditation teachers, researchers, and even the odd celebrity. He is also a former co-founder of the Happier meditation app. Dan’s over-arching philosophy is simple yet profound: he believes happiness is a skill that can be learned.

Source | 10% Happier: The Neuroscience of Confidence – Episode 909 (February 7, 2025)